Sony launches new waterproof phone Xperia ZR

Sony has announced a new waterproof Xperia, the Xperia ZR.

If you have merpeople relatives or just like taking holiday  snaps predominantly underwater, Sony is offering the Xperia ZR from the second quarter of this year, with availability varying by market.

The handset is dust resistant and can be used 1.5 metres under (fresh) water for up to 30 minutes, Sony said, being IP55 and IP58 compliant according to the Ingress Protection rating system.

Don’t be fooled by the name – the phone isn’t the Xperia Z in water colour (or protection); the phone has different specs, but packs a 13MP camera, much like Sony’s flagship.

The manufacturer said the device featured the “highest level of water resistance” for photos and HD videos underwater, with a 4.6 inch screen and a 720 x 1280 pixel resolution with 323 pixels per inch density.

The device combined Sony’s camera technology, including “Exmor RS for mobile” image sensor with HDR, with water resistance, Xperia marketing director Calum MacDougall said.

“Bringing together the best of Sony’s leading technology, media applications and easy one-touch connectivity with the largest ever range of NFC-enabled accessories, the Xperia ZR delivers the unique smartphone experience that people can expect from Sony.”

The breakdown

The device measured in at 131 by 67.4mm and was 10.4mm thick, weighing 140g.  This compares with the Xperia Z’s 129 by 71 mm and much slimmer 7.9mm thick, weighing slightly more at 146g.

The Xperia ZR had a 4.6 inch screen with 720 x 1280 pixel resolution and 323 ppi, compared with the Xperia Z’s 1080 x 1920 pixels on a five inch screen with a whopping 441 ppi.

Both the Xperia Z and the ZR ran with a quad core Snapdragon Krait chip at 1.5GHz with 2GB of RAM, but internal storage on the ZR was just 8GB compared with the Z’s 16GB.  Both had expandable memory options via a microSD card.  The ZR ran Android Jelly bean (4.1) while the Z ran 4.1.2

The ZR packed a 13MP camera with an as yet unspecified front facing camera, compared with the Z’s 13.1MP camera and 2.2MP front facing camera.

The ZR would come in a range of colours including white, pink and mint, Sony said.